CANTON, Ohio — Andre Williams proved at Parkland High School and Boston College that he can perform well in tight spaces on a football field.

So, it was not a surprise that Williams handled himself with poise late Sunday night during his first NFL postgame news conference.

Williams had just rushed for 48 yards on seven carries and scored on a 3-yard touchdown run in his pro debut for the Giants. He helped New York beat Buffalo 17-13 in the Hall of Fame game that traditionally kicks off the new season.

Long after the crowd of 22,000 at Canton's Fawcett Stadium had dispersed and NBC's national broadcast ended, Williams met members of the media on the field where the game was played.

Limited locker room space — Fawcett Stadium is used almost exclusively for high school games — forced the postgame news conferences back on to the field where Williams shined yet again.

Williams, who last season led the nation with 2,177 yards rushing yards in becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist, was humble, soft-spoken and yet proud of what he was able to do in his first game since being selected in the fourth round of May's NFL Draft.

"I am very happy with my debut and glad I was able to get my feet wet … it was a good experience," he said. "It felt great to get in the end zone. Once I got there, my mind went blank."

Williams gained 37 yards on five carries on the Giants' 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive late in the first quarter.

The drive came after a three-and-out on the Giants' first possession and a fumble on their second.

Williams was playing with the first-string offense, including quarterback Eli Manning, but going against the Bills' backup defense.

"It was good to get the running game going and the offensive line firing off," Manning said. "That always helps to get the whole offense going."

As special as the touchdown run up the middle was for Williams, he opened even more eyes on the preceding play when he got outside for a 21-yard gain around left end to the Buffalo 3.

Not only did Williams show speed in getting to the corner, but he possessed the awareness of a veteran in following the play's design.

"We just ran an outside zone and the D-end was playing a head-up technique on the tight end, so I knew that if the fullback [Henry Hynoski] captured the safety who was playing down in the box, we could get out on the edge," Williams explained with thoroughness. "That's exactly how it played out."

The Giants, coming off a disappointing 7-9 season, have tried to revamp and speed up their offense under new coordinator Ben McAdoo.

Newcomer Rashad Jennings, signed as a free agent after stints in Jacksonville and Oakland, got the start at tailback. He showed off some pass-catching ability and may combine with Williams to fill the void created by the loss of David Wilson, who suffered a neck injury and has been advised by doctors to stop playing football.

Jennings, who caught three passes and gained 23 yards on seven carries, was impressed with Williams.

"Andre did exactly what we thought," Jennings said. "He's a physical guy, a downhill runner. He's a young guy who is excited to play. He wants to learn. He wants to be great."

Jennings could sense Williams' excitement when he came on the field.

"When he tagged in, I could see the white in his eyes; he was nervous," Jennings said. "I told him that after the first contact, he'll realize that it's just football. I was happy to see him get in, get a touchdown, get some confidence. We're going to see him do some great things in this backfield."

Naturally, Giants head coach Tom Coughlin was more tempered in his praise for Williams, saying he wanted to see more of him in pass-protection situations.

The Bills didn't blitz when Williams was in that role.

Coughlin admitted: "He ran with speed and power, seemed to hit the hole well and got the ball outside. He seemed to do some good things."

Williams, listed at 5-foot-11 and 230 pounds, acknowledged that he wasn't perfect, but still gained confidence from the debut.

"This was really exciting for me and makes me feel like I am supposed to be here and I am a part of the team now," he said. "There's still a lot of work to do. There's a season ahead and we still have to clean things up."

And there's still plenty of adjusting to the pro game for Williams, who routinely saw eight guys in the box geared to stop him last season in the ACC.

"It's different looking at six- and seven-man boxes, but I am playing a higher level of competition now," he said. "The defenses are faster, the safeties are heavier. It's an adjustment, but today was a great day for me and my team."

It also capped a great weekend in Canton for Lehigh Valley products, coming one night after Dieruff High graduate Andre Reed was inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the same stadium.

Several Giants were present for the ceremony, which featured the induction of former Giant Michael Strahan, but Williams wasn't one of them.

Even though Joyce Reed-Ebling, Andre Reed's mother, is a Parkland School District employee, Williams said he never met her. He wasn't aware of the local connection until recently.

"I really just learned his story," Williams said.

Williams' own story continues Friday night when the Giants play the Steelers in their second preseason game at MetLife Stadium.